Talk Wisdom's goal is to defend the tenets and values of Biblical Christian faith. We defend our Constitutional Republic and Charters of Freedom, especially when speaking out against destructive social and political issues. As followers of our Savior and Lord, we should boldly stand up for Jesus Christ in our present circumstances. He is our Savior, Lord, and King, and His love needs to be shed abroad in our hearts and in our world – now.

Archive for the ‘Worship Song’ Category

A post written over at Fellowship of the Minds has prompted me to start blogging again. One paragraph over there caught my eye and I have decided to copy and paste it here:

Predictable Things:
Muslims are murderous, Democrats and Republicans are corrupt, the Government is run by unseen people, the major Media is manipulated, racism in America in 2015 is mostly Black racism and mostly opportunistic, Liberalism is a mental disorder, the Greatest Generation was followed by the Most Disgraceful Generation…

Oh, and then there is this:The Lord is watching, and He will deal with the wicked

.

My comment there:

Lately, I have been feeling the same way regarding not posting about political issues. It often feels like a waste of time! I would rather be reading, studying, and blogging about my Lord Jesus Christ and what He has told us (and warned us about) the closer we get to the end times.

The parable of the wheat and the tares keeps me motivated. I know that the righteous (meaning, only those repentant sinners saved by God’s grace through Jesus Christ) wheat are to grow along with the wicked (designated in the parable as the tares). Many of the “tares” may resemble the “wheat,” but our Lord certainly knows the difference!

The day shall come when it will be time for our Lord to separate the wheat from the tares. The harvest will bring in the wheat into the “barn” (God’s house), and the tares shall be thrown into the fire for destruction. Christians need to be busy sharing the Gospel of Christ in order to help rescue the “tares” from the fire. We need to be bold and state the need for them to repent of their sins and become Christ’s own. Then, at the time of the harvest, they will be the wheat brought into the “barn” – the House of God the Father – that Jesus told us about!

Jhn 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

Jhn 14:2 “In My Father’s house are many mansions; [fn] if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. [fn]

Jhn 14:3 “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

[fn] (14:2)

Literally dwellings

[fn] (14:2)

NU-Text adds a word which would cause the text to read either if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? or if it were not so I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.

A new president isn’t going to create on this earth what we truly and ultimately desire. Forgiveness, mercy, grace, love and eternal life! Only Jesus Christ can do that!

Therefore, I do not put my trust into ANY of them. Some candidates running for president are far worse than others. But Satan is the great deceiver and his minions are hard at work scheming and corrupting the political process.

I find myself listening to worship songs that lift up my heart; in a way that only Jesus Christ can do for me! When there is so much evil, deception, turmoil, sin, crime, death and destruction happening all around the world, it can be very discouraging and disheartening. But I always have the promises of Christ in my mind and heart. This brings me away from the false “matrix” of reality that is evident in this evil world and brings me back to the truth of God through the Gospel of Jesus Christ! His faithfulness never fails, and His truth surpasses all understanding!

This beautiful worship song is so needed to be heard today! All of the worldly sin, evil and death that is happening (as prophesied in the Bible)at such an increasingly and egregious rate can, in times of weakness, discourage us. Beyond what we think we can stand or take is the fact that belonging to Jesus Christ – and Him belonging to us – is the greatest reality one can ever experience in life! No matter what violent and tumultuous events are happening in our lives or around the world, when we focus on Jesus and His promises, all of that turmoil falls to dust and blows away!

What true, Bible based, Jesus loving, born again Christian wasn’t disappointed in the Supreme Court ruling that changed the natural definition of marriage this past Friday?

I have spoken with several people.

Some were absolutely devastated!

Many where completely in shock!

Others, knowing what Bible prophecy tells us will happen the closer we get to the end times, were not really surprised.

Most of us were deeply saddened.

It is OK to grieve…for a time. After all, we grieve every Good Friday for what Jesus Christ had to (chose to!) do in order to save us all from our sins.

I must admit that one worship song called “Forever” that is so eloquently sung by Kari Jobe puts this whole debacle into proper perspective. Wait till you hear what the gentleman (who comes up to the microphone as Kari pauses in singing the song) has to say! So AWESOME it gave me goose bumps!!!

Beautiful song! Beautiful voice! Beautiful worship!

I have posted it here, but often YouTube doesn’t allow playback on certain blogs.

The moon and stars they wept
The morning sun was dead
The Savior of the world was fallen
His body on the cross
His blood poured out for us
The weight of every curse upon him

One final breath he gave
As heaven looked away
The son of God was laid in darkness
A battle in the grave
The war on death was waged
The power of hell forever broken

The ground began to shake
The stone was rolled away
His perfect love could not be overcome
Now death where is your sting?
Our resurrected King
Has rendered you defeated

Forever he is glorified
Forever he is lifted high
Forever he is risen
He is alive, He is alive!

The ground began to shake
The stone was rolled away
His perfect love could not be overcome
Now death where is your sting?
Our resurrected King
Has rendered you defeated

Forever he is glorified
Forever he is lifted high
Forever he is risen
He is alive, He is alive!

We sing hallelujah
We sing hallelujah
We sing hallelujah
The Lamb has overcome

Forever he is glorified
Forever he is lifted high
Forever he is risen
He is alive, He is alive!

You have overcome
You have overcome
You have overcome
You have overcome

In addition, I wanted to share some resource links that I have come across through blogs I visit.

There are plenty of resources out there to help Christians cope with the devastatingly immoral decision that was pushed upon America through the 5-4 SCOTUS decision that made homosexual “marriage” suddenly legal in all 50 states. I have started compiling a list (below), and will most likely add to it as I come across other excellent blog posts. Any reader who has links to share about this topic, please post them in the comment section.
Resources:

The Gospel of Matthew was written so that we would know our King, see what His Kingdom is about, and what we believers, the citizens of this Kingdom, are to be and to do as ambassadors of the King. We will be looking at the life, teachings, miracles, life, and death of Jesus Christ.

In this sermon, Jesus miraculously feeds 5,000 hungry followers, and then walks on water when His disciples are in peril on the sea. But what was His purpose in doing these things? To simply show His power? No, here in these stories, He aims to not just show that He can provide, but He shows that He Himself is the Provision.

Additionally, there are some opening remarks regarding the June 26, 2015 Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage.

Being born again in Jesus Christ is a joyous and very humbling experience. Our free will allows us to be arrogant, sinful, hateful, sexually immoral, barbaric, liars, blasphemers, and all the rest of the actions of evil that exist in this fallen world. However, once redeemed through Christ, we want to follow His Commandments because we love Him! He did love us first…which is an awesome concept to finally realize and embrace!

1Jo 4:19

We love Him [fn] because He first loved us.

Jhn 14:15

“If you love Me, keep [fn] My commandments.

We are redeemed, but not yet perfected. We are constantly being sanctified (through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit) as we live this life here on earth. We still have the free will to sin, but because we want to please our Lord, we turn away from them and repent; because we want to obey Christ and have the goal to be more and more like Him each day.

When we die physically, we will see Him as He is! What a joyous event to look forward to in eternity!

Those who hate Christians either don’t understand why we love Jesus Christ and probably view what He accomplished for us on the cross at Calvary as “foolishness.” On the other hand, maybe they DO understand but have conscientiously chosen to reject it. The God of the Bible says, “so be it.” Rejection of the Holy Spirit of God is the final unforgivable sin, and those who make that choice (and die physically in that choice) have separated themselves from God, spiritually, for all eternity.

There is a song called “Redeemed” by Big Daddy Weave which describes a man’s transition from sinner to being saved by grace and mercy through Jesus Christ. The lyrics depict what we all have done; including the sins we regret, as born again believers in Christ. But it also reminds us that through this redemption, we know that we are free of the guilt, the shame, and the regret that would plague us forever if not for accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand

I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise my soul will rest in your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You’ve never failed and you won’t start now

So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior

I will call upon Your Name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine

Have you ever listened to an honest song of grief and lament which can turn your heart back to joy? That is what I have found via the lyrics and redemptive message of “Torn” from Tenth Avenue North – a Contemporary Christian band. Do you know someone who might desperately need to hear this song’s message?

That is what happened to me during an hour and a half drive home last night. I have heard this song played many times (it’s in the WOW 2014 Greatest Hits CD), but one person – in particular – came to mind and I wanted to share it with him. But after going to the You tube site and seeing the 3,127,990 views of this video, I realized that there are probably hundreds of thousands who could benefit from hearing this song and understanding the lyrics pointing towards redemption of those with hurt lives and lost souls.

I have found that many people do not want to even talk about all of the evil, carnage, despair, and fear that is occurring these days here in America, and even more so all around the world.

Those who are willing to discuss what is happening as we catapult closer to the end times are often fellow Christians who know that “we are not of this world” and one day, the pain and suffering will end.

Those of us who have been redeemed by grace through faith – because of the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ at the cross of Calvary – know that Jesus’ resurrection from the grave has provided proof of the hope and promise of salvation. Therefore, it is up to us to spread the Gospel message to those who are still under the grip of the evil one.

In the Book of Revelation, we get a description of one of the 7 churches; the church at Sardis:

Rev 3:1

“And to the angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.

Rev 3:2

“Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. [fn]
Rev 3:3

“Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

Rev 3:4

“You [fn] have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.

Within the church at Sardis, there were “tares” among the wheat of the saved. Today, there are some who think that they are saved because they attend church. But John wrote what “the Spirit says to the churches” on Patmos, and noted that some at the church of Sardis were dead. Others, were alive and told that “he who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments and I [Jesus] will not blog out his name from the Book of Life.”

Rev 3:5

“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Jesus also said (through John’s writings) that, “I [He] will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”

So you see, there is no redemption without Christ!

Rev 3:6

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

Jhn 3:3

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Jhn 3:7

“Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

There are many great comments at the You tube site – real people whose grief/depression/struggles/deadness inside turned hearts previously torn and worn into mended souls!

Here are a few:

Tabitha Brooke 3 months ago

I love Tenth Avenue North and I can basically say this song saved my life. In 2013, I was depressed to the point I felt life didn’t have a purpose anymore. I was driving around at night, completely and utterly hopeless, flipping through the radio when this song played and I broke down and cried and it was like a hug from God and I listened to the words of this song and how closely they matched how I felt and let me tell you…redemption won, the struggle ended and God mended my heart. The song rose from the ashes of my broken heart and all that was dead inside was reborn and I am no longer worn. Thank you, Lord.

Aaron Bostelman

20 minutes ago

I used to think that Suicide was the answer, and it consumed my life. Parents that called me worthless all my life, drugs, smoking, abuse… All of it for satisfaction, and yet not one bit of it made me completely satisfied as I still had a missing gap in my heart. I too, was driving around in my car after I got the news of my Girlfriend that had killed herself. During an intersection I was hit by a drunk driver. I stepped out of my car covered in blood as well as a broken arm, and I just broke down right there on the spot. I cried so hard wishing I would die. Although I am still an Atheist, I am in fact reading the bible, and the more I read it, the more the gap in my heart is sealed. Just to let you know, you aren’t alone, and you certainly aren’t the person out there that has similar conflicts, Tabitha. Thanks for sharing!

Cynthia Scott 2 months ago

My brothers and sisters in Christ:

NEVER GIVE UP HOPE. JESUS WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.

This song expresses very real, raw emotions as we go through storms in life. Please listen, especially if you have been fighting through a storm for some time and are worn, let this song renew your strength and remind you Who will get you through the storms of life, especially now as we face more persecution then ever. JESUS CAN MEND A HEART THAT’S FRAIL AND TORN.

When I find a worship song that I love, I try to memorize the lyrics. After doing so, I sing the song to myself throughout mundane tasks being done and think about the meaning of the lyrics. Then, I can often apply the lyrics to my own life.

Lyrics from “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail):

Verse #1
You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown, where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep, my faith will stand

Recall when Peter made the request of Jesus to command him to come out upon the water in order to meet Jesus as our Lord was walking on water in Matthew 14:22-33?

Mat 14:22

Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.

Mat 14:23

And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.

Mat 14:24

But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, [fn] tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

Mat 14:25

Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.

Mat 14:26

And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.

Mat 14:27

But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

Mat 14:28

And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”

Mat 14:29

So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.

Mat 14:30

But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, [fn] he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

Mat 14:31

And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Mat 14:32

And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

Mat 14:33

Then those who were in the boat came and [fn] worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

Remember, this miracle was done directly after the miracle of the transformation from five loaves of bread and two fish into bushels full of both to feed the multitudes that had gathered to hear Jesus speak.

Matthew 13 is where Jesus spoke in parables, and explained (via the parable of the sower) exactly how some people would react to his words and the Gospel message back then, as well as in the future.

There are some who will not “see” nor “hear” (seed [Word of God] fell by the wayside and the birds came and devoured it).

There are some who will “see” and “hear,” but their hearts will wander later (seed [Word of God] fell on stony ground) because there was “no depth of earth” and the sun came and scorched the plant that quickly had sprung up, and so the plant then withered away.

Then, there are some that fell among the thorns, and the thorns “choked” that seed [Word of God] away.

Finally, Jesus describes the seed [Word of God] that “fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

The disciples asked why Jesus spoke in parables. Jesus explained that it was done in fulfillment of the prophets (like Isaiah):

Mat 13:14

“And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive;

Mat 13:15

For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should [fn] heal them.’ [fn]

‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’

Isa 6:10

“Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.”

Prior to these verses in Isaiah, we learn that Isaiah humbled himself, claiming that he was not worthy to be in the presence of God. But look what happens!

Isa 6:6

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar.

Isa 6:7

And he touched my mouth with it, and said:

“Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged.”

Isa 6:8

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:

“Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

Isaiah INSTANTLY was changed from doubt in himself as being unworthy to do the tasks that God had planned for him to do, into a believer who answered the LORD (who had said: “Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?”) by saying: “Then I said, “Here am I! Send me.”

Mat 13:52

Then He [Jesus speaking] said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning [fn] the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”

[fn] (13:52) Or for

Lyrics from “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail):

Chorus: And I will call upon Your name And keep my eyes above the waves When oceans rise My soul will rest in Your embrace For I am Yours, and You are mine

Isaiah was an example of “resting in the LORD’s embrace. He is God’s, and God is his.

Lyrics from “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail):

Verse #2 Your grace abounds in deepest waters Your sovereign hand will be my guide Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me You’ve never failed, and You won’t start now

In the succeeding chapters of Isaiah, his prophesying became more and more rich because his renewed faith in God held back worries of failure and fear!

Lyrics from “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail):

Chorus: So I will call upon Your name And keep my eyes above the waves When oceans rise My soul will rest in Your embrace For I am Yours, and You are mine

Bridge: Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders Let me walk upon the waters Wherever You would call me Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander And my faith will be made stronger In the presence of my Savior x 5

Ending: I will call upon Your name Keep my eyes above the waves My soul will rest in Your embrace I am Yours, and You are mine

As born-again believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are to share the Gospel – planting seeds among those not yet redeemed. It is the work of the Holy Spirit that first knocks on the “door” of the heart, and then indwells the heart of each individual. Repentance of sin at the foot of the Cross, remission of that sin through the spilled blood, and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of one’s life will bring each individual lost person to salvation. When the mercy, grace, and love of God enters the soul and heart of a person, they are redeemed of God through Christ; and then they are willing and able to do good works – great and small – for the Kingdom of God.

Lyrics from “Oceans (Where Feet May Fail):

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders Let me walk upon the waters Wherever You would call me Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander And my faith will be made stronger In the presence of my Savior

I don’t know where to go from here
It all used to seem so clear
I’m finding I can’t do this on my own

I don’t know where to go from here
As long as I know that You are near
I’m done fighting
I’m finally letting go

I will trust in You
You’ve never failed before
I will trust in You

[Chorus:]
If there’s a road I should walk
Help me find it
If I need to be still
Give me peace for the moment
Whatever Your will
Whatever Your will
Can you help me find it
Can you help me find it

I’m giving You fear and You give faith
I’m giving you doubt
You give me grace
For every step I’ve never been alone

Even when it hurts, You’ll have Your way
Even in the valley I will say
With every breath
You’ve never let me go

I will wait for You
You’ve never failed before
I will wait for You

[Chorus]

I lift my empty hands (come fill me up again)
Have Your way my King (I give my all to You)
I lift my eyes again (Was blind but now I see)
‘Cause You are all I need

[Chorus]

*******
In a book entitled, “Mastering Your Life Before It’s Too Late,” Robert J. Morgan shares a plan that will help any reader to develop lifelong habits for a lifetime of purposeful living. The first two habits to cultivate are:

1. Listen to a twelve-year-old.

The first recorded statement of Jesus was made when He was twelve, “I must be about my Father’s business.” When we open each day with this mindset, we will accomplish the work God has preplanned for us.

2. Redeem the time.

If we lose a thousand dollars, we can replace it; but if we waste a thousand hours, they are gone forever. Redeem the time.

Bible verses on these two habits:

1. Listen to a twelve-year-old.

Luk 2:39

So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth.

Luk 2:40

And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, [fn] filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

Luk 2:41

His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.

Luk 2:42

And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast.

Luk 2:43

When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother [fn] did not know it;

Luk 2:44

but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances.

Luk 2:45

So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him.

Luk 2:46

Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.

Luk 2:47

And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.

Luk 2:48

So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”

Luk 2:49

And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”

Luk 2:50

But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them.

Luk 2:51

Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart.

Luk 2:52

And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

2. Redeem the time.

1Ch 17:21

“And who is like Your people Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people—to make for Yourself a name by great and awesome deeds, by driving out nations from before Your people whom You redeemed from Egypt?

Job 33:28

He will redeem his [fn] soul from going down to the Pit,
And his [fn] life shall see the light.

Psa 49:15

But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave,
For He shall receive me. Selah

Psa 119:134

Redeem me from the oppression of man,
That I may keep Your precepts.

Jer 15:21

“I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked,
And I will redeem you from the grip of the terrible.”

Gal 4:3

Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world.

Gal 4:4

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born [fn] of a woman, born under the law,

Gal 4:5

to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Gal 4:6

And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

Gal 4:7

Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of [fn] God through Christ.

Eph 5:8

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light

Eph 5:9

(for the fruit of the Spirit [fn] is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),

Eph 5:10

finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.

Eph 5:11

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

Eph 5:12

For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.

Eph 5:13

But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.

Eph 5:14

Therefore He says:

“Awake, you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”

Eph 5:15

See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,

Eph 5:16

redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Eph 5:17

Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Eph 5:18

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

Eph 5:19

speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,

Eph 5:20

giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

The Bible

Click on image for Blue Letter Bible

Proverbs 2:2-5

"Make your ear attentive to wisdom, incline your heart to understanding; for if you cry for discernment, lift your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will discern the fear of the LORD, and discover the knowledge of God"

About Christinewjc and this Talk Wisdom blog.

Married for 34 years to my wonderful husband! Two grown adult children, a wonderful son-in-law and beautiful granddaughter in whom we treasure and enjoy life.

Our family is very close and love to spend time with each other. We share a deep Christian faith, love for the Lord Jesus Christ and love for each other.

I earned a BA in education from Kean University in 1978. I have been studying the Bible for over 30 years and in 2003, upon successful completion of the course of study offered in the MA Lecture Series, earned a Christian Apologetics Certificate from Biola University.

This blog is named “Talk Wisdom” because one of the main purposes of writing here is to share the wisdom of God – the only absolute and true wisdom – that is contained within the Scriptures of the Bible. As a born-again Christian, it is my desire to heed and share Paul’s encouragement and warnings in 2 Timothy 3:1-17

2 Timothy 3:16 – All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
2 Timothy 3:17 – that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Talk Wisdom’s goal is to defend the tenets and values of Biblical Christian faith. We defend our Constitutional Republic and Charters of Freedom, especially when speaking out against destructive social and political issues. As followers of our Savior and Lord, we should boldly stand up for Jesus Christ in our present circumstances. He is our Savior, Lord, and King, and His love needs to be shed abroad in our hearts and in our world – now.

A quote to remember!

“We are to be obedient to God and that means we are to fight against sin. Talking about not judging and loving each other does not absolve us from our duty to correct and — if necessary — censure those who refuse to obey God’s laws. If this were the case, then God would have had no reason to even give us a law: He would have just said do not judge, just love and left it at that — but He did not do this. Instead, He told us to obey, and then gave us at least ten commands. If we love each other — Biblical love — then we will do everything we can to help each other keep those commands, not make it easier to break them. After all, how can we claim to love someone if we are in the process of making their path to hell easier to travel?”
~ Black3Actual from Oil For Your Lamp blog

Talk Wisdom's goal is to defend the tenets and values of Biblical Christian faith. We defend our Constitutional Republic and Charters of Freedom, especially when speaking out against destructive social and political issues. As followers of our Savior and Lord, we should boldly stand up for Jesus Christ in our present circumstances. He is our Savior, Lord, and King, and His love needs to be shed abroad in our hearts and in our world - now.

Faith in Jesus Christ is our response to God's elective purpose in our life. These two truths--God's initiative and man's response--co-exist throughout the Bible. The gospel is "the message of truth" because truth is its predominant characteristic. Salvation was conceived by the God of truth (Ps. 31:5); purchased by the Son, who is the truth (John 14:6); and is applied by the Spirit of truth (John 16:13). To know it is to know the truth that sets men free (John 8:32). Believers are people of the truth (John 18:37), who worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24), and who obey the Word of truth (John 17:17). People have rejected, neglected, redefined, and opposed God’s truth for centuries. Some cynically deny that truth even exists or that it can be known by men (John 18:38). Others foolishly think that denying truth will somehow make it go away. Truth determines the validity of one's belief. Believing a lie doesn't make it true. Conversely, failing to believe the truth doesn't make it a lie. The gospel is true because Jesus is true, not simply because Christians believe in Him. His resurrection proved the truth of His claims and constitutes the objective basis of our faith (Rom. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:3). Truth is our protection and strength (Eph. 6:14). Throughout history, people have tried everything imaginable to gain favor with God. Most turn to religion, but religion apart from Christ is merely a satanic counterfeit of the truth. At the heart of every false religion is the notion that man can come to God by any means he chooses--by meditating, doing good deeds, and so on. But Scripture says, "There is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). That name is Jesus Christ, and we come to Him by confessing and repenting of our sin, trusting in His atoning death on the cross, and affirming His bodily resurrection from the grave (cf. Rom. 10:9-10). There is no other way to God. False religious leaders and teachers talk much about God’s love, but not His wrath and holiness; much about how deprived of good things people are, but not about their depravity; much about God’s universal fatherhood toward everyone, but not much about his unique fatherhood toward all who believe in His Son; much about what God wants to give to us, but nothing about the necessity of obedience to Him; much about health and happiness, but nothing about holiness and sacrifice. Their message is full of gaps, the greatest of which leaves out a biblical worldview of the saving gospel and replaces it with the worldview of postmodernism with its dominant ethical system of relativism. The Bible describes mankind in the end times: “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 3:7). Spiritual answers cannot be deduced by human reason alone (1 Cor. 2:14). It’s not that spiritual truth is irrational or illogical, but that human wisdom is defective, because it’s tainted by man’s sinfulness, and unable to perceive the things of God. That is why the Bible is so important. It gives us the answers we can’t find on our own. It is God’s Word to mankind. Scripture is divinely revealed truth that fills the vacuum of spiritual ignorance in all of us. Post-truth is the word of the year for 2016 and also the philosophy of the day, According to the dictionary, “post-truth” means, “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Simply put, we now live in a culture that seems to value experience and emotion more than truth. In a “post-truth” world, people make choices based on emotion and experience rather than objective fact. So in a post-truth world, truth is irrelevant. What exactly is a post-truth culture? It’s a culture where truth is no longer an objective reality. It has become subjective. It’s what’s true for me—my beliefs, my opinions, determine my truth. So in our post-truth culture, man determines truth. Man makes himself the ultimate authority. This starting point, which rejects God’s Word and the idea of moral absolutes, makes truth subjective. Truth will never go away no matter how hard one might wish. Christianity is grounded in objective truth. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Objective truth exists because we have God’s Word. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Thy word is truth” (John 17:17), and Paul and James describe the Bible as “the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15; James 1:18). The Psalmist says, “The entirety of your word is truth” (Psalm 119:160). Jesus Himself said, “For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice” (John 18:37). When Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except by me” (John 14:6), He wasn’t expressing His personal belief or opinion. He was speaking the truth, a fundamental reality that doesn’t change from person to person. It doesn’t matter if our culture thinks all roads lead to God. The truth of the matter is “no one comes to the Father but by [Jesus].” This blogs goal is to, in some small way, put a plug in the broken dam of truth and save as many as possible from the consequences—temporal and eternal. "The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it." - George Orwell

"Our threat is from the insidious forces working from within which have already so drastically altered the character of our free institutions — those institutions we proudly called the American way of life. " -- Gen. Douglas MacArthur